Always in Need of Fixing
by Dannrose
Summary: Why did Kristoff learn to mistrust people? How did he meet Sven? What was it like being reared by Trolls? These questions surround the lone ice-harvester that fell in love with a princess. From early childhood to that fateful encounter in the trading post, his life had been far from typical or kind.
1. Prologue

_**Author's Note:**_

 _ **Hello everyone and welcome to my first story in the Frozen fandom. This is one that is entirely focused on Kristoff's backstory, of which we have very few details but lends itself wonderfully to fanfiction. It starts very early on in his life and will work its way up to the point where he walks into the trading post. I'll do my best to keep him in character but please let me know if I'm possibly making him OOC. I hope you all enjoy the chapter.**_

 _ **I do not own any aspect of Frozen.**_

* * *

 **Prologue**

Heat, constant burning heat.

A young boy huddled down in the corner, shaking in unadulterated fear and weeping at the flames clawing their way up the walls of his home. They hungrily consumed the wood, devouring and destroying it as they seemingly reached for the young child. The heat grew in intensity, pulsating outwards in waves that washed over the boy, causing him to huddle even smaller and weep louder.

He didn't know what had happened, he'd just been playing happily, his mother sitting peacefully by the fire sewing as they awaited the return of his father. Suddenly, burning torches flew in through the window, landing upon the precious rug his mother had spent a whole winter making. The dry material caught light instantly, the savage flames burning it away as other torches hit the wooden furniture and landed at the base of the walls.

His mother had snatched him up, abandoning their home and sprinting for the door but they found it to somehow be jammed shut, barred from the outside. She rushed to one of their windows but the moment she wrenched open the shutters, the boy heard an odd 'thunk' and she fell back with a gasp. As raucous laughter came from outside, the boy scrambled to his mother's side, staring at the odd stick that was now embedded in her chest.

"Mama?"

She gently stroked her son's face a soft smile upon her lips, "Kristoff, the far corner…huddle there…"

Her hand fell and her head lolled to one side as he grabbed her arm.

"MAMA!"

He saw the consuming flames getting closer and he looked between them and his mother before finally scurrying to the corner as she'd ordered, weeping the whole time. Soon, the flames devoured his mother but Kristoff had buried his face in his arms and didn't see and they resumed their relentless march towards him. He curled tighter and tighter inwards, begging for his father to appear, to make everything better, but he never came.

The burning flames came closer.

* * *

Cold, it was icy cold.

It was the first thing he noticed, the change from burning heat to icy cold. The second was the hard surface beneath him, it was rough, uneven, with the wet sensation of snow. Somehow, he was outside, away from the heat and the fire, maybe his father had come, or maybe it had been a dream?

A strange voice was nearby and he slowly opened his eyes, seeing the winter sky, the great lights dancing in rainbow hues across the stars. He'd always found them mesmerising but now, the strange voice attracted his attention and he turned his head to look towards it.

A short distance away, two men in armour stood talking. They seemed to be soldiers which he'd only seen once or twice when he accompanied his father on a trip to the nearest town, they looked tired and weary, though in a sense he couldn't quite grasp. Behind them, other soldiers were moving some objects he couldn't identify but his focus remained upon the two talking.

"That child was far luckier than I would ever have believed." One of them stated, "He'd taken shelter in the one part of the house that was vaguely safe."

"Some may not consider it luck." The other replied sombrely, "The fire took his mother and he has no home to go to."

"What about his father?" The first inquired.

The second shook his head sadly, "We found him further up the track. The bandits got to him first and had their fun with him, it wasn't a pretty sight. We have his body so he and his wife can at least be given a proper funeral, what's left of them anyway."

"At least we got the bandits, every last one of them. They won't be able to do this ever again." The first replied.

The second one's voice became sadder, "I doubt that'll be any consolation to the boy. He literally has nothing left and no family to speak of. His other relatives have long since died or moved to far away to be found."

"You knew the family?"

"No, not on a face-to-face basis anyway. Most people in these wilds know about each other but don't often meet together, they're too busy surviving and supporting their families. I've served in this area long enough to know how tough life can be and to learn about who lives here." He sighed, "The Bjorgmans have lived here as long as anyone can remember, this will probably be the thing that causes most people to move to the villages and towns and abandon the area."

There was a long silence as both men watched those behind them. Eventually, the first one spoke quietly, "So what do we do about the boy?"

The second one sighed again, "He'll have to go to the orphanage. That's the only place for Kristoff Bjorgman now."

* * *

 _ **PS-And so it begins. Future chapters will likely be longer since this is just the Prologue. Please let me know what you thought and I'll hopefully update soon.**_


	2. Chapter 1

_**Author's Note:**_

 _ **Hello everyone and welcome to the first proper chapter. I've also started a Frozen AU called 'The Bonds We Forgot' so if you're interested please give that a read as well. Thank you those who've shown their support so far and I hope you enjoy the chapter.**_

 _ **I own nothing.**_

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

If anyone asked him about his parents' funeral and the days that followed, Kristoff would honestly be unable to tell them anything.

It was a blur of strong emotions and changes that wiped the details from his head. He'd been sure he'd wept constantly, thrown tantrums, screamed at everyone and even outright denied the fact his parents were gone. It had been long days of mood swings, tears and even deliberate destruction until he eventually found himself sat on a bed in the orphanage accepting the reality that he was now alone, not really sure how he'd got there.

In the years that followed, Kristoff felt slightly guilty about how he'd acted in those first days. He'd put a lot of stress on the people that cared for the kids there but they'd simply run with all of his tantrums and tears without complaint, making them some of the few he remembered with fondness.

He'd been fortunate in the fact that the orphanage he'd ended up in was actually one that genuinely wanted to nurture the children that lived there, the staff were warm, kind and were there because they truly desired to give orphans a loving home. However, being in a place with dozens of other kids was not comfortable for him.

His family had lived in a cabin right up in the wild woods, away from the villages and towns that most called home. While there had been other families with children in the area, they were often too far away for him to simply nip over and find out if any of them wanted to play. They'd mostly been hunters and gatherers, living out in the wilds near to the creatures and resources they built their livelihoods off. Spoils of their kills were treated and then taking to the nearest trading town in bulk to sell, tanned pieces of leather, carved antlers, bone trinkets, meat that had been kept cold in icehouses to keep it fresh, all of it would either be used by the families or sold for profit and this sort of lifestyle did not lend itself to much social interaction.

In short, Kristoff was used to spending time alone, to the point that being surrounded by other people was unnerving.

He stayed away from the other kids, amusing himself in some corner while they ran riot everywhere else. As time passed, he started to feel penned in by the village, until now he'd had a whole forest to himself and although his mother had put in boundaries (like don't cross the river), they had encompassed a far larger area than the relatively tiny garden of the orphanage. He wanted to get out and back into the wilds, where there was so much to discover and find, where things changed and something simple like slightly different weather created a whole new adventure. Not be stuck in the same old garden with kids he didn't really want to play with.

So, he started sneaking out.

* * *

With a light clatter, the loose plank fell back into place, concealing his secret exit from the orphanage grounds.

With a quick check that no one was around, Kristoff darted off towards the forest that started behind the orphanage, hoping that he hadn't been spotted. He'd been caught once by one of the carers, Mrs Daghild, and he'd received a stern lecture and a couple of swats to the backside for it (once her panic at the thought of him being alone in the woods all day had calmed) and he did not want to repeat it.

His entry into the trees signalled another successful escape and he giggled before running off in a random direction, eager to discover some new secret place. Winter was still in full swing and he left a deep furrow in the snow as he ploughed through it, he was used to fighting the snow and it did little to halt his progress, even if it did make him move particularly slow.

He encountered a reindeer track and without a second thought, followed it.

He'd seen reindeer before with his dad who'd told him all about the animals and how they lived. Both his father and mother had been descended from the Sámi (though they'd somewhat embraced the culture of Arendelle) and they both had extensive knowledge of reindeer. Kristoff had been enamoured with the beasts when he'd seen them and he wanted a glimpse of one again.

Walking in the tracks of the reindeer, he followed the trail as it wound between the trees. He wasn't concerned about how far he was going nor where he'd end up, he just wanted to see reindeer. He stuck determinedly to the tracks and pressed onwards until he caught a glimpse of fur up ahead. Slowing his pace and trying to tread quietly, he stole forwards and snuck behind a low mass of tangled branches, belonging to one of the bare bushes. He peeped out between them and his eyes fell upon the reindeer before him.

There was only one, unusual since they often travelled in herds, and it was clearly searching for food. From his hiding place, Kristoff's mouth dropped open in awe. He'd always found these animals breath taking and they were by far his favourite, he'd even owned a toy one which he'd cuddled at night. In Arendelle, it was animals such as cows, sheep and horses that were prominent in farming but his father had told him about the semi-domesticated reindeer herds his ancestors had shepherded. He'd read in the orphanage's story books about dashing princes riding heroically on majestic horses but personally, he thought they should be riding reindeer.

With their great antlers, reindeer were far more impressive than their antlerless counterparts and he'd sometimes imagined himself riding through the snowy forests, astride a mighty reindeer bull.

Wanting a closer look, Kristoff tried to slip quietly out from behind the bush but some twigs snapped loudly as he stepped on them.

Instantly, the reindeer's head shot up as it sought the origin of the sudden sound, its eyes fell upon him and he froze. For long moments, they both did nothing but stare at each other until Kristoff waved awkwardly at it,

"Um…hello."

The beast snorted then apparently decided that the human watching it wasn't dangerous and resumed foraging.

Kristoff moved a little closer and sat down in the snow, he waited a bit then suddenly spoke again, "So, where's the rest of your herd?"

His father had told him reindeer usually travelled in herds so he was curious as to why this one was on its own.

The reindeer grunted as it continued its search for food. The child that he was, Kristoff considered this an answer and he responded, "Okay, I guess if you don't want to say so you don't have to."

He was silent again for another couple of minutes before asking another question, "Are you a boy or a girl reindeer."

At this, the beast raised its head and gave him a look that was so expressive, his imagination couldn't help but supply a voice.

' _What do you think?_ '

The boy scratched his head and thought for a moment, "Are you…a boy?"

He received a look of indignation.

' _A boy? Really!?_ '

"Okay, you're a girl!" He shuffled guiltily, "Sorry I didn't realise."

The reindeer grunted and took a couple of steps away as she located more food. Her movements allowed Kristoff to spot the slight bulge in her belly and his father's lessons reminded him of what that meant.

"Oh, you're expecting a baby!"

The reindeer raised her head and seemed to nod.

' _Yes, yes I am._ '

He grinned, "That's amazing!"

She gave another grunt and continued snuffling in the snow for edibles. Kristoff sat and watched her for a long time, while she just continued with the business of surviving and ignored the small boy nearby. Time passed and he realised that he'd have to get back soon or he'd be caught.

Reluctantly, he stood, not caring about the snow that had melted through his clothes, and turned to leave. He hesitated then turned back to the reindeer, "I need to be going now so goodbye."

His answer was a snort and he shuffled off, following the tracks back the way he'd come. Unnoticed by him, the female reindeer raised her head and watched him until he was out of sight. Then, she turned and went in the opposite direction, seeking more food for herself and her unborn calf.

* * *

 _ **PS-And there was Kristoff's first 'conversation' with a reindeer. Please let me know what you thought and I'll hopefully update soon.**_


	3. Chapter 2

_**Author's Note:**_

 _ **Hello everyone and welcome to the third chapter. This one marks another dramatic turn in Kristoff's life and his exit from the orphanage. Thank you for your continued support and I hope you enjoy the chapter.**_

 _ **I own nothing.**_

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

It was a couple of months later that life decided to throw him another sucker punch.

He'd settled into a sort of routine at the orphanage. He kept to himself and would often sneak out into the forest and if that was all, he'd have been quite content.

But there was also the bullying.

His tendency to be alone had attracted the attention of the other kids and some of them had seen it as an excuse to target him. In a way, it was kind of expected. They were all at the orphanage for some reason and not necessarily because their parents were dead. Some had been abandoned, others had run away from home and one or two were there because their parents were in prison. This brought a variety of children to the orphanage and variety, unfortunately, caused conflict.

It was a group of slightly older boys, old enough to know better but young enough to not care, that were the ringleaders and though it wasn't constant, they did like to pick on him from time to time. It rarely reached physical violence, such things were quickly picked up on by the carers and dealt with, but the verbal abuse and the way they 'included' Kristoff in their games was bad enough. It probably would've been a lot worse if he wasn't sneaking out so often and it wasn't like he was the only one being bullied but they then discovered one of the things he genuinely feared.

Fire.

Ever since the loss of his parents, he'd hated fire. He remembered all too well how it consumed his home and his mother and he definitely was aware of how dangerous it was. He wasn't so scared that he couldn't be anywhere near it but he was certainly wary and tried to avoid it if he could. As far as he was concerned, fire was to be confined to fireplaces and ovens where it was actually useful for cooking and heating, it was also fine on candles and inside lanterns but nowhere else.

Which was why he wasn't happy to see it behind some bushes in the orphanage grounds.

He didn't know how the boys had got their hands on some fire-lighting materials but they were certainly making the most of them. They'd got a little fire going and were busy playing about and burning things out of sight of the carers.

"What are you doing!?"

Normally, Kristoff wouldn't draw attention to himself like this but the fire had unnerved him. The boys glanced round in fear then smirked when they saw it was just him, one of them shrugged, "What does it look like Krissy?"

Krissy was the name they'd started calling him and he hated it, this time though he ignored it, "You shouldn't be playing with fire like that!"

The carers would have a fit if they discovered what was going on, they strictly prohibited the kids from going anywhere near fire, emphasising its dangers if misused or not treated carefully. However, Kristoff himself was far more worried about the fact this fire was dangerously close to the bushes, he had images of it getting out of control and spreading through the orphanage grounds.

The boys seemed unconcerned and one answered dismissively, "It's just fire. It's not that dangerous."

Another smirked, "Though a little fraidy-cat like you might think so."

Kristoff glanced back towards the orphanage, seeing if he could spot one of the carers and get them to stop what was going on. As he did so, one of the boys grabbed a lit stick and grinned at his mates.

"Catch Krissy!"

He tossed it towards Kristoff and the boy jumped away with a yelp. As it landed on the ground, he immediately stamped on it, trying to put it out as the boys all laughed.

"Looks like little Krissy is scared of fire!"

"Little fraidy-cat!"

Grinning maliciously, another boy tossed another burning stick at him. This one struck his hand and he yelped louder as it burned him. The heat made him panic and without thinking, he bolted away and towards his escape route from the orphanage grounds, leaving the boys rolling around with laughter at his reaction.

* * *

He was in the forest before he finally stopped running and he glanced down at his burnt hand.

It was actually only a very mild burn and would heal on its own no problem but it still hurt. Rubbing it tenderly he started walking.

As far as he was concerned, the further away from the boys' fire the better, he didn't want to be anywhere near flames that hadn't been made by a sensible adult. He knew that he'd have to go back to the orphanage eventually but for now, he was glad to be out in the forest by himself.

He didn't pay much attention to where he was going, he'd been out here so often he knew his way about pretty well and could find his way back with ease. As he walked, he continued to nurse his hand, though it didn't hurt much at all anymore, and he soon reached the place he'd seen the reindeer several months ago.

This time it was reindeer free but he didn't mind and he picked up some sticks to play with, this one made a good sword, that one was a dagger and this long one could be a spear. With this armoury, he could be a dashing warrior or a noble prince on some heroic quest, maybe even an intrepid explorer on his way to discover some great treasure.

He started to hop around the forest, his imagination lending itself to his lone game of make-believe as he battled pretend foes with his 'weapons'. As he played, the events with the boys faded away and were soon pushed to the back of his mind as he continued his adventure. He became so absorbed in his game, he failed to notice two people approaching him until one of them clamped their hand on his shoulder.

He instantly screamed and lashed out with his stick, striking the man in the stomach.

The grip on his shoulder immediately released as the man doubled over in surprise and the second one laughed.

"Feisty kid this one."

He grabbed Kristoff and easily lifted the boy, unbothered by his struggles. As his crony recovered, he nodded down at the boy, "What do ye think, shall we take 'im?"

The first one snorted, "Why? He doesn't have anything on him and I think he's one of those orphans from the village. I thought he might've been worth something to someone but nobody would pay for some parentless village squirt."

The second one rolled his eyes, "I wasn't thinking we try and ransom 'im, I thought that with some tender, loving care, 'e could serve us."

The first man grinned, "Oh, I see. A little slave would make things easier."

"LET ME GO!"

Kristoff bit the man holding him viciously, causing him to drop the boy in pain. However, the first grabbed him and tossed him over his shoulder before he could escape. Kristoff continued to punch and kick his captor and shout his lungs out but it did nothing but make the man snap in annoyance, "Stop struggling kid! You're coming with us and you'll do everything we tell you to or be punished."

The second man nursed his bite, "And yer first punishment will be fer biting me! Now SHUT IT!"

Scared, Kristoff fell silent and he stared helplessly back at the woods he'd come to know so well as he was taken away from them.

* * *

 _ **PS-So a bit of a dramatic turn there. Please let me know what you thought and I'll hopefully update soon.**_


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